Novel decorative cover plates

ABSTRACT

An assembly for covering the receptacle head of a receptacle containing a wall-mounted, button-operated GFI electrical outlet, comprising a cover plate having a front side and a rear side; a plurality of blade apertures extending through the cover plate through the front and back surfaces and positioned in the cover plate so the blade apertures are in substantial alignment with the blade apertures of at least one socket of an electrical outlet when the cover plate is affixed to the electrical outlet for receiving the plug blades; at least one securing aperture extending through the cover plate through the front the improvement wherein the cover plate has a pair of access openings to permit access to GFI buttons, the access openings being further adapted to be closed by inserts when GFI buttons are not present.

This patent claims the filing date of U.S. Provisional PatentApplication Ser. No. 60/656,603, filed Feb. 25, 2005 and the filing dateof U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/679,781, filed May10, 2005, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Various wall plate covers which are adapted to provide a decorativeappearance have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,375,728 toWest, U.S. Pat. No. 5,965,846 Shotey et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,160,219to Maltby et al. However, many standard plug-in type electrical outletsfor installation in a wall recess for flush mounting now incorporate aground fault interrupter (GFI). Typically, ground fault interrupters arebutton activating and re-setting. We have found that an access openingor openings in a cover plate should be provided which has minimal or noadverse effect on the aesthetic appearance. The present inventionprovides such cover plates.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

An assembly for covering the receptacle head of a receptacle containinga wall-mounted, button-operated GFI electrical outlet, comprising

a cover plate having a front side and a rear side;

a plurality of blade apertures extending through the cover plate throughthe front and back surfaces and positioned in the cover plate so theblade apertures are in substantial alignment with the blade apertures ofthe at least one socket of said electrical outlet when the cover plateis affixed to the electrical outlet for receiving the plug blades; and

at least one securing aperture extending through the cover plate throughthe front and back surfaces and positioned in the cover plate so the atleast one securing aperture is in substantial alignment with acorresponding one of the at least one securing aperture of theelectrical outlet when the cover plate is affixed to the electricaloutlet for receiving the securing device and fixedly positioning thecover plate with respect to the electrical outlet, the cover plate beingsized to cover the receptacle when the securing device is in place, thecover plate having peripheral edges which are adapted to abut the wallsurfaces surrounding said wall mounted receptacle containing a GFIelectrical outlet;

the improvement wherein the cover plate has a pair of access openings topermit access to GFI buttons, said access openings being further adaptedto be closed by inserts when GFI buttons are not present.

An assembly for covering the receptacle head of a receptacle containinga wall-mounted, button operated GFI electrical outlet, comprising:

a cover plate having a front side and a rear side;

a plurality of non-electrically conductive prongs, mounted to andextending perpendicularly from the rear side of the cover plate sizedand spaced to engage the blade receiving apertures of the electricaloutlet;

the cover plate being sized to cover the receptacle when the prongsengage the blade receiving apertures of the electrical outlet; the coverplate having peripheral edges which are adapted to abut the wallsurfaces surrounding said wall mounted GFI electrical outlet;

the improvement wherein said cover plate is scored on its rear surfaceto provide a weakened line defining a closed area which is adapted to bebroken out and removed to provide access to the GFI buttons.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of one embodiment of the cover plate of thisinvention.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an end view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a front view, in perspective, of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a rear view, in perspective, of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a greatly enlarged view of the snap-in button opening insert,in front perspective view.

FIG. 9 is a greatly enlarged view of the snap-in button opening insertin rear perspective view.

FIG. 10 is a rear view of the snap-in button opening insert.

FIG. 11 is an end view of the insert of FIGS. 8-10.

FIG. 12 is a side view of the insert of FIGS. 8-11.

FIG. 13 is a section view taken along line 13-13 in FIG. 10.

FIG. 14 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a coverplate according to this invention.

FIG. 15 is a rear perspective view of the cover plate of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a front plane view of the cover plate of FIGS. 14 and 15.

FIG. 17 is a rear plane view of the cover plate of FIGS. 14-16.

FIG. 18 is a side view of the plate cover of FIGS. 14-17.

FIG. 19 is an end view of the plate cover of FIGS. 14-18.

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along line 20-20 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along line 21-21 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the cover plate of FIGS. 1 to 7 showingassembly with an electrical outlet and receptacle box.

Turning to the drawings in greater detail, the cover plate of FIGS. 1 to13 is adapted to be screwed onto a wall outlet provided with a groundfault interrupter.

The electrical outlet has at least one socket and at least onescrew-receiving opening. As can be seen, the embodiments shown in theFIGS. 1 to 13 and 22 of the drawings are for an electrical outlet whichincludes two sockets and two screw-receiving openings.

The cover plate, generally 10, has the two mounting screw apertures 12.The cover plate 10 is held to the electrical outlet which is normallyreceived in a recess in a receptacle box in the wall so that the edges14 of the curved side extremities 16 snugly abut the surface of the wallsurrounding the recess.

The plate 10 is intended to go over an electrical outlet having a groundfault interrupter equipped with two buttons, the top button is there-set button and the lower button pops or projects out when the groundfault interrupter is tripped by a short or surge in the electricalcircuitry.

The cover plate 10 has two button receiving openings 18-20 therein.

The cover plate has two pairs of blade apertures 22 and 24. Each pair ofblade apertures additionally has a third or ground plug aperture 26. Theblade apertures are aligned with corresponding three blade receivingapertures in the sockets included in the wall electrical outlet to beable to receive standard 3 prong plugs from an electrical appliance. Theouter exposed surfaces 28 of the cover plate may be provided with avariety of decorative finishes and treatments, usually to harmonize withthe wall treatment of the back splash of a kitchen wall. Preferably, theouter exposed surfaces 28 have a granite or tile finish in any desiredcolor.

Considering FIGS. 8-13 in more detail, the inserts 30 are shown ingreatly enlarged scale. The inserts 30 are sized so that raised portion32 snaps into each of the button receiving openings 18 and 20 from therear of the openings with a slight interference fit. When the inserts 30are in place in the button receiving openings 18 and 20, the frontsurface 34 of raised portion 32 is flush with the surrounding surface 28of cover plate 10. A decorative finish can be applied over surface 28and front surface 34 which effectively conceals the fine gaps betweenthe edges of inserts 30 and the edges of openings 18 and 20. Thus, theinvention is adapted to either exposed or concealed ground faultinterrupter buttons.

The inserts 30 are typically made from a flat plastic sheet materialwhich are heat formed into the final shape of the insert shown in FIGS.8-13. With the inserts 30 in place, the buttons of the ground faultinterrupter are covered up and concealed from view, an effect which isdesirable from an aesthetic point of view is achieved.

The cover plate 10 is normally a single formed or molded plastic piece.

Turning to the alternate embodiment of FIGS. 14-21, the cover plate 50has a smooth planar front surface 52, with curved marginal surfaces 54and edges 56 which are intended to snugly abut the wall surfacesurrounding a recess in the wall for receiving a standard electricaloutlet and receptacle. The outlet normally contains two sockets. Therear surface 58 of cover plate 50 contains two pairs of non-electricallyconductive prongs 60. The prongs 60 are aligned with the correspondingblade receiving apertures in the sockets of the electrical outlet.

The prongs 60 thus hold the cover plate 50 in place and conceal therecess as well as the receptacle with outlet received within the recess.

The cover plate 50 is scored in lines 62 to form a rectangle. Thescoring weakens and permits the easy removal of the area 64 within lines62 to provide an opening for providing access to the standard two buttonground fault interrupter. Thus, cover plate 50 can be used over anyconventional recessed receptacle, either with or without ground faultinterrupter. If there is no ground fault interrupter, the area 64 isleft in place and lines 62 cannot be seen when cover plate 50 is inplace. Alternatively, if a ground fault interrupter is present, area 64is simply punched out prior to installation of cover plate 50. In eithercase, the exposed outer surface 52 of cover plate 50 can be providedwith an aesthetically pleasing decorative surface. Preferably, theexposed outer surfaces 52 have a granite or tile finish in any desiredcolor.

The cover plate 50 with prongs 60 is normally a single formed or moldedplastic piece.

The finish provided on surfaces 28 and 52 is achieved most preferably bythe known in-mold decorating process, using the film and resinsavailable from General Electric Company.

FIG. 22 shows the arrangement whereby cover plate 10 of FIGS. 1 to 7 isheld by screws 66 to electrical outlet 68. When assembled, electricaloutlet 68 is received in receptacle box 70 which, in turn, is mounted ina recess in a wall. The electrical outlet has ground fault interrupterbuttons 72 and 74. Buttons 72 and 74, when assembled with the rear ofplate 10 abutting the front of outlet 68, are exposed at buttonreceiving openings 18 and 20. The inserts 30 can be used if it isdesired to conceal buttons 72 and 74.

The cover plates of this invention are adapted to be provided in theknown Decora style designed to work with square receptacles and GFIreceptacles.

1. An assembly for covering the receptacle head of a receptaclecontaining a wall-mounted, button-operated GFI electrical outlet,comprising a cover plate having a front side and a rear side; aplurality of blade apertures extending through the cover plate throughthe front and back surfaces and positioned in the cover plate so theblade apertures are in substantial alignment with the blade apertures ofthe at least one socket of said electrical outlet when the cover plateis affixed to the electrical outlet for receiving the plug blades; andat least one securing aperture extending through the cover plate throughthe front and back surfaces and positioned in the cover plate so the atleast one securing aperture is in substantial alignment with acorresponding one of the at least one securing aperture of theelectrical outlet when the cover plate is affixed to the electricaloutlet for receiving the securing device and fixedly positioning thecover plate with respect to the electrical outlet, the cover plate beingsized to cover the receptacle when the securing device is in place, thecover plate having peripheral edges which are adapted to abut the wallsurfaces surrounding said wall mounted receptacle containing a GFIelectrical outlet; the improvement wherein the cover plate has a pair ofaccess openings to permit access to GFI buttons, said access openingsbeing further adapted to be closed by inserts when GFI buttons are notpresent.
 2. An assembly for covering the receptacle head of a receptaclecontaining a wall-mounted, button operated GFI electrical outlet,comprising: a cover plate having a front side and a rear side; aplurality of non-electrically conductive prongs, mounted to andextending perpendicularly from the rear side of the cover plate sizedand spaced to engage the blade receiving apertures of the electricaloutlet; the cover plate being sized to cover the receptacle when theprongs engage the blade receiving apertures of the electrical outlet;the cover plate having peripheral edges which are adapted to abut thewall surfaces surrounding said wall mounted GFI electrical outlet; theimprovement wherein said cover plate is scored on its rear surface toprovide a weakened line defining a closed area which is adapted to bebroken out and removed to provide access to the GFI buttons.
 3. Theassembly of claim 1 in combination with a recessed receptacle containinga wall mounted, button operated GFI electrical outlet.
 4. The assemblyof claim 2 in combination with a recessed receptacle containing a wallmounted button operated GFI electrical outlet.